Load brake mechanism



April 20, 1937. c. c. FARMER LOAD BRAKE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 11, 1955 m a RW o 4 f @MEEEEEfi m 4 N C m ATTO Patented Apr. 20, 1937 r UNETED STATS PATNT GFFECE LOAD BRAKE MECHANISM Clyde 0. Farmer, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa, a. corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 11, 1935, Serial No. 53,855

20 Claims. (Cl. 188-195) This invention relates to load brake mechanism prise abody bolster I .having securedthereto a for vehicles and moreparticularly to that type of body center plate 2 which is pivotally mounted in mechanism which is adapted to be automatically a truck center plate'3 carried by a truck bolster v l. set or conditioned for either light or heavy load The truck may be of any well known type combraking according to variations in the distance prising spaced side frames carrying springs which betweenthe body of the vehicle and the vehicle yieldably support the truck bolster 4 .at its ends truck dueto variations in the weight of the lading and may comprise a strut supporting member 5 carried by the vehicle. which is carried by the side frames. The strut The mechanism for conditioning the brake supporting member may be in the form of a in equipment for either empty or load braking is spring plank which is adapted to tie the side carried by the vehicle-body and is movable vertiframes together in a more or less rigid manner or cally therewith and is adapted to be controlled may be in the form of a light strut support such according to the position which the body assumes as is disclosed in my aforementioned pending aprelative to a fixed part of the vehicle truck under plication when the spring plank is omitted from variations in the weight of the lading carried. the truck. 15'- The fixed part of the truck may be in the form As shown in Fig. 1 the truck bolster 4 may c0m-., of a vertically disposed strut which may be supprise spaced vertically disposed sides Swhich are portedby the usual spring plank of the truck or connected together by top and bottom horizonby a supporting construction such as disclosed in tally disposed webs or members 1 and 8 respecmy pending application, Serial No. 53,854, filed tively. 20*

December 11, 1935 when the truck is constructed The members i and 8 of the truck bolster are without a spring plank. provided with registering openings 9 and i0, re-

Due to unavoidable manufacturing inaccuracies sp v y, for e accommodation of a Vertically in building railway vehicles and trucks and to undisposed strut l i which is supported at its lower avoidable variations in the resisting power of the end by a member l2 riveted or otherwise secured 25 usual truck bolster supporting springs, the disto the underside of the supporting member 5, the tance between the vehicle body and the spring strut extending through an opening i3 in the plank and consequently between the vehicle body member 5. and the strut carried by the spring plank may be The strut I l comp ca y aligned up 0-such that the proper control of the load meohaand lower sections 14 and I5, respectively, the

nism cannot be obtained. This may also be the lower end portion 0f the pp Section 14 being case when due to wear of the several moving parts preferably made in the form of a sleeve l 6 which of the car body and truck and to the weakening of has screw-threaded connection with the upper the truck bolster springs the distance between the screw-threaded end I! of the lower section 15. -body and spring plank changes. The upper end portion of the upper section [4 .35 The principal object of the invention is to proof the strut is of rectangular form in cross-secvide a load brake controlling strut mechanism tion and is slidably guided in a verticallly disposedwhich is adapted to be adjusted to provide the rectangular sleeve-like guide l8 having, interproper distance between the vehicle body and the mediate its ends, a plain circular exterior collar strut to insure the proper control of the load l9 which is rotatably mo on the p mechanism carried by the body. ber l of the truck bolster and which is clamped Another object of the invention is to provide a in rotatable relation with the member 1 by means load brake controlling strut having novel means of a bearing plate 20 which is secured to the memwhereby the length of the strut may be readily her by bolts 2! or any other desired means. and accurately varied. It will here be understood that the clearance These and other objects will appear in the folspace provided between the rectangular upper lowing more detailed description of the invention. portion of the strut section I4 and the inner sur- In the accompanying drawing, Fig. l is a fragface of the guide I8 is sufiicient to permit free mentary view, partly in section, of a vehicle body relative vertical movement between the strut and and a supporting truck; Fig. 2 is a vertical secthe guide but is not great enough to permit rela-' 50 tional View taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;and tive rotation between these parts. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the truck The sleeve portion it of the upper section of the bolster and the strut mechanism. strut is provided with an exterior annular collar The vehicle body may be of any desired con- 22 and interposed between and engaging this colstruction. and as shown in the drawing may-comlar and the lower end of the guide I8 is a-spring- 23 which, at all times, acts to maintain the lower end of the strut in non-chattering engagement with the member l2 and to also maintain the collar IS in non-chattering engagement with the plate 20.

The opposite side walls of the upper portion of the guide I8 are each provided with a notch 24 through which the upper end of the strut may be viewed to ascertain whether or not the strut is of the proper length.

Normally the collar l9 and consequently the sleeve i8 is held against rotation by means of a headed bolt 25 which passes through registering openings in the collar l9 and the plate Zii rigidly secured to the truck bolster, the threaded end of the bolt being provided with a nut 26 to prevent loss of the bolt. When the collar is thus held in place the notched side walls of the upper portion of the guide [8 will be parallel with the longitudinal center line of the truck so that the upper end of the strut may be easily seen from one side of the vehicle.

The fluid pressure brake equipment and the empty and load change-over apparatus carried by the body of the'vehicle may be the same as that fully shown, described and claimed in a joint application of Earle S. Cook and Ellis E. Hewitt, Serial No. 51,798, filed November 27, 1935. In View of this, a brief description of that portion of the strut cylinder mechanism of the change-over apparatus with which the strut II is adapted to cooperate is all that is deemed necessary in this specification.

The strut cylinder mechanism as shown in Fig.

' 1 may comprise a cylinder device 3| which is operable by fluid under pressure, supplied from the usual brake pipe (not shown) in initially charging the equipment, to move a controlling arm 21, pivotally carried by the vehicle body, into engagement with the upper end of the strut II.

If the vehicle is empty the upper end surface of the strut II will be flush with the upper edge of the guide 18 and the arm 2'! and consequently the cylinder device will be permitted to travel a sufficient distance for the piston device to supply fluid under pressure to cause the change-over apparatus to functionto condition the brake equipment for light braking. As the vehicle is being loaded the truck bolster 4 will be caused to move downwardly relative to the side frames, member 5 and strut H and when the vehicle has been loaded to one-half or slightly more than onehalf of its capacity the distance between the upper end of the strut H and the arm 21 will have been decreased to such an extent that, when the brake pipe is initially charged the strut cylinder mechanism will be brought to a stop, by the engagement of the arm 21 with the strut, short of its empty change-over position and as a consequence the change-over apparatus will be caused to function to condition the brake equipment for load braking.

It will be understood by those whose duty it is to maintain the brake apparatus in proper operating condition that when the vehicle is empty, the upper end surface of the strut l I must be flush with the upper end surface of the guide H3 in order to insure the proper control of the empty and load brake equipment carried by the vehicle body.

If, with thecar empty, the upper end surface of the strut is either above or below the upper end surface of the guide I8 it will be understood that the strut should be adjusted to its proper length. In order to accomplish this, the bolt 25 is first removed so as to permit the upper section Hi of the strut and the guide 18 to be rotated, then by the use of a wrench or other suitable tool which may be applied to the lower end of the sleeve It, the upper section M of the strut is rotated relative to the lower section l5 of the strut until the upper end surface of the section [4 is flush with the upper edge surface of the guide I8. When the strut is too long and extends above the guide [8 the upper section of the strut is turned in a counterclockwise direction, and when too short it is turned in the opposite direction. Since the upper end of the strut is visible through the notches 24, accurate adjustment of the strut is greatly facilitated. After the strut has been adjusted the bolt 25 is placed in position. tohold the guide l8 and thereby the upper section i l of the strut against accidental rotation. It will be noted that the lower end portion 36 of the lower strut section I5 is rectangular in form and that this portion extends into the rectangular opening 13 in the member 5 when the strut is seated on the member l2, and since there is only a slight clearance between the member 5 and this rectangular portion of the strut, the strut section cannot rotate. Since, as just described, rotation of either strut section is prevented, accidental adjustment of the strut is positively prevented.

In some cars it may be more advantageous to rotate the upper section I 5 of the strut by means of the guide 18 to effect the adjustment of the strut instead of directly as above described. In such cases the wrench or other suitable tool is applied to the rectangular upper end of the guide It and as the guide is rotated by means of the wrench, rotary movement is imparted to the upper section I l and as a result the adjustment of the strut will be effected.

It is well known that when a vehicle is in transit the truck bolster of each truck, due to the necessary clearance between the ends of the bolsters and the supporting side frames, may move a. limited distance either longitudinally or transversely of the truck and to prevent such movement from bending the strut H or causing a binding action to be set up between the guide l8 and the strut, the lower end of the strut is mounted on the member 5 in such a manner that the strut as a whole may rock freely in either direction with the bolster. When the strut is thus rocked, the lower end thereof will be held by the member i2 against displacement in a direction longitudinally of the truck and by the web of the member 5 against displacement in a direction transversely of the truck. In the present embodiment of the invention the lower end surface of the strut is of rocker shape, as shown in Fig. 1 and is also rounded as shown in Fig. 2.

While one illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it is not I the position of the movable member with relatothe support element, means carried by the movable member for comparing the relative positions of themovablemember and the mechanism controlling means, and means for adjusting the-position of said mechanism controlling means-relative to said movable member.

3; The combination in a vehicle truck having a 'support" element and a member inovable vertically relative to the support element, a mechanism controlling strut carried by said support member and extending to the upper side of said movable member, said strut being adjustable to provide the proper controL- guide 'means for said strut carried by said movable member, and removable means cooperating with said movable member and guide means to prevent adjustment of the strut unless said removable means is removed.

4. The combination in a vehicle truck having a support element and a member movable vertically relative to the support element, a mechanism controlling means carried by said support element and having a certain proper control position which is determined according to the position of the movable member with relation to the'support element, meansfor comparing the relative positions of the movable member and the mechanism controlling means,

means for adjusting the position of said mechanism controlling means relative to said movable member, and means adapted to cooperate with the vertically movable member and mechanism controlling means to lock the mechanism controlling means in adjusted position.

5. The combination in a vehicle truck having a support element and a member movable vertically relative to the support element, a vertically disposed mechanism control member carried by said supporting element and having a proper control position in which the upper end of the control member is a fixed distance from a fixed portion of the movable member,

- and means for positioning said control member relative to the movable member.

6. The combination in a vehicle truck having a support element and a member movable vertically relative to the support element, a vertically disposed mechanism control member carried by said supporting element and having a proper control position in which the upper end of the control member is a fixed distance from a fixed portion of the movable member, a guide for said control member carried by said movable member, and tell-tale means embodied in said guide for indicating the proper position for the control member.

7. The combination in a vehicle truck having a support element and a member movable vertically relative to the support element, a vertically disposed mechanism control member carried by said supporting element and having a proper control position in which the upper end of the control member is a fixed distance from a fixed portion of the movable member, a guide forsaidcontro'l member'carried by said movable rhemberand having an opening through which saidupper end of the control member is adapted to be viewed, and meansincludedin said guide for indicating the proper position for the control member.

'8. The combination'in a vehicle truck having a support element and a member movable vertically'relative tothe support element, a vertically disposed mechanism control member cartried "by said supporting element and having a proper control position in which the upper end offithe control member is a fixed distance from afi xed portioniof the movable member, a'guide for said control member carried by said -movablemember, and means carried by saidguide 'for indicating the proper position for the 'control member and having an opening through which the upper end of the control member may be viewed.

9. Thecombination'in a vehicle truck having a support element and a member movable vertically relative to the support element, a vertically disposed mechanism control member carrie'dby saidsupporting element and having a proper control position'in which the upper end of the control member is a fixed distance from a fixed portion' ofthe movable member, said control member comprising a stationary section and a rotatablese'ctiongand means operative upon therotation of said rotatable section for positioning the control member relative to the movableimem'ber.

10. The'combi'nation in a vehicle truck having a-support elementand a member movable vertically relative to the support element, a vertically disposed mechanism control member carried'by said supporting element and having a proper control position inwhich the upper end of the control member is a fixed distance from a fixed'portion of the movable member, said control member comprising a stationary section and a rotatable section, means operative upon the rotation of said rotatable section for positioning the control member relative to the movable member, and a rotatable guide carried by the movable member and rotatable relative to the movable member to effect the rotation of said rotatable section.

11. The combination in a vehicle truck having a support element and a member movable vertically relative to the support element, a vertically disposed mechanism control member carried by said supporting element and having a proper control position in which the upper end of the control member is a fixed distance from a fixed portion of the movable member, said control member comprising a stationary section and a rotatable section, means operative upon the rotation of said rotatable section for positioning the control member relative to the movable member, a guide for the control member carried by the movable member and rotatable with said rotatable section, and removable means cooperating with said guide and movable member for locking said guide and thereby said rotatable section against rotation.

12. The combination in a vehicle truck having a support element and a member movable vertically relative to the support element, a mechanism controlling member seated on but not secured to said support element and. being normally out of engagement with the mechanism to be controlled, and means cooperating with said movable member and control member for urging the control member in close seating contact with the support element.

13. The combination in a vehicle truck having a support element and a member movable vertically relative to the support element, a mechanism controlling member seated on but not secured to said support element, a guide for said control member removably carried by the movable member, and a spring cooperating with said guide and control member for urging the control member into close seating contact with the support element.

14. The combination in a vehicle truck having a support element and a member movable vertically relative to the support element, and a mechanism controlling member rockably carried by but not positively secured to said support element and guided by said movable member, said controlling member being normally out of engagement with the mechanism to be controlled.

15. The combination in a vehicle truck having a support element and a member movable vertically relative to the support element, and a mechanism controlling member carried by said support member and being freely rockable in directions both longitudinally and transversely of the truck, said controlling member being normally out of engagement with the mechanism to be controlled.

16. The combination in a vehicle truck having a support element and a member movable vertically relative to the support element, a mechanism controlling member rockably carried by said support element and guided by said movable member, said controlling member being normally out of engagement with the mechanism to be controlled, and means for urging the strut in seating contact with the movable member.

17. The combination in a vehicle truck having a support element, a truck bolster movable vertically relative to the support element, an empty and load brake controlling strut carried by said support element and guided by said truck bolster,

means carried by the truck bolster indicating the proper position for the controlling end of the strut, and means for adjusting the length of the strut relative to the indicating means.

18. The combination in a vehicle truck having 99 a support element, a truck bolster movable vertically relative to the support element, an empty and load brake controlling strut carried by said support element and guided by said truck bolster, means carried by the truck bolster indicating the 0g proper position for the controlling end of the strut, and means for adjusting the length of the strut relative to the indicating means, said means having an opening through which the relative positions of the strut and means are 92; adapted to be compared.

19. The combination in a vehicle truck having a support element and a member movable vertically relative to the support element, a mechanism controlling means carried by said support oz element and having a certain proper control position which is determined according to the position of the movable member with relation to the support element, means for adjusting the position of said mechanism controlling means to position same in said proper control position, and means for indicating whether or not said controlling means is positioned in its proper control position.

20. The combination in a vehicle truck having OI a support element and a member movable vertically relative to the support element, a mechanism controlling means carried by said support element and having a certain proper control position which is determined according to the posi- 9 tion of the movable member with relation to the support element, means for adjusting the position of said mechanism controlling means to position same in said proper control position, and means carried by the movable member for visibly indicating whether or not said controlling means is positioned in its proper control position.

CLYDE C. FARMER. 

